SEATTLE — An exclusive KING 5 News poll found Washingtonians’ approval of Gov. Jay Inslee has dropped since summer, although the assessment largely fell along party lines.
Inslee’s approval rating among polled registered voters was 52% in February, which is down from a 61% approval rating last May and a 60% approval rating in July.
However, there was a big margin between political parties: 85% of Democrats said they approve of the job Inslee is doing as governor compared to 17% of Republicans and 38% of Independents.
After three weeks in office, President Joe Biden has a 56% approval rating among polled Washingtonians. Again, this fell along party lines with an overwhelming 94% of Democrats approving the job Biden is doing versus just 16% of Republicans.
One of Biden’s top priorities – a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that includes $1,400 stimulus checks – is being worked on by House committees, and Democratic leaders hope it’s passed later this month.
Although the relief plan faces backlash from Republicans over cost, the KING 5 poll found about a third of respondents thought $1,400 payments was just about right, and another third thought it wasn’t enough. Just 18% thought the checks were too much money. The poll also suggests even Republicans in Washington are behind the payments with 61% of GOP respondents saying $1,400 checks sounded about right or wasn’t enough.